What was the last movie you saw...? Part IV

[Charger]

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE


Mike Lowrey is shot by the son of an escaped mexican drug lady and Marcus decides to retire. But Mike fully recovers and wants to go after the guy that tried to kill him and killed many members of the law enforcement community. Marcus stands firm until someone close to them both gets killed...then they must join forces with a group of younger hot shot cops.

This is much darker in tone than the previous movies and it takes a looong time to get into the groove. Almost the entire first half is just setting the scene for the latter part. There isn't nearly enough combined scenes with Smith and Lawrence where they let loose...
The action is well shot and the new directors do a decent enough job but I can't help but think that Michael Bay would have done better. Also this could have used a better script. However the aging jokes work really really well and the self irony is constantly present.

The new cast members including Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Nunez do a good job as does Kate Del Castillo as the bad girl and Jacob Scipio as her son who have surprising connection with Mike..

But something is indeed bit missing here and the uneven pacing doesn't help.


*  *  *

[Charger]

BAD BOYS RIDE OR DIE

After the late Captain Howard is framed for taking money from the drug cartels Mike and Marcus face a tough task clearing his name and catching who ever is responsible, things get worse when they too are framed for breaking out Mike's son from a prison transport.

Now things are more back on track than they were on the previous movie. The action is non stop and the humor train keeps on rolling. Both Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are in great shape again and their chemistry is still there after almost 30 years. The needless darker tones are gone and it's all about the entertainment once again.

The director duo obviously learned their lesson and went back to basics and this one feels like a homage to Michael Bay's original.

The rest of the cast is in top notch as well, especially Eric Dane's villain. Cold and Ruthless. Joe Pantoliano makes a return as well and that's a nice surprise.

The action is at times bit over the top but it works well with the added humor.

There was still no definitive ending so maybe the boys have enough energy for one more ride? I wouldn't mind...at all!


*  *  *  *

[Charger]

THE MATRIX TRILOGY


The Matrix

Hacker Neo gets a mysterious contact from another hacker Morpheus who offers him the chance to find out what the Matrix really is and Neo gets pulled on a ride he cannot believe.

This was a big deal movie back in the day, rewriting how action sequences were made and added some never before used visual effects.

I do remember the first time I saw this back in 2000 it was indeed something special. But time has ran past this one and now most of the extreme slow motion shots just look silly and the movie has a very dated feel.

The story however still works well and the pacing is good. Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fishburn, Carrie-Ann Moss and Hugh Weaver all give out great preformances.

*  *  *  ½


The Matrix Reloaded

Few months after the events of the first movie in the real world the machine army is closing in on the human city of Zion and Neo and his team have to work both in The Matrix and in the real world to try and stop it. In the Matrix his old foe Agent Smith returns with a vengeance.

The second movie adds more wacky visuals and over loads on the action. It seems that the Wachowski brothers just pile on and on and needlessly stretch every single action scene in the movie. The motorway fight is great but it just goes on for too long...Not to mention the somewhat needless scenes in the real world that do nothing for the story, which also begins to get somewhat unhinged.

Some new faces are added including Jada Pinkett Smith, Harold Perrineau and Harry Lennix.

*  *  ½

The Matrix Revolutions

The story continues right from where the previous part "ended" and the machines are beginning their attack on Zion. Neo must go to the Machine city to make them an offer they hopefully can't refuse. But Agent Smith ofcourse has other plans.

This flows better than the middle part but the story does get bit too far out and loses the plot quite a bit towards the end...which actually comes quite abruptly and leaves a whole lot of things unexplained and unanswered. Also logic has been totally thrown out the window.

The action scenes in this one mostly take place in the "real world" and as such they don't look so dated nor silly...part from the final battle between Smith and Neo ofcourse.

*  * ½


All in all time can be merciless to some movies. And quite often it is most merciless to movies that can be considered ground breaking in their time. This surely is the case with The Matrix trilogy. Although the sequels weren't ever able to touch the first movie in back in the day.

The Wachowski brothers (who I guess got a sex change operations somewhere along the way and are now called the Wachowski sisters!!! ) have decided to revisit the series with a new installment called The Matrix Resurrections...will need to check that out at some point but honestly won't be expecting much of that either.

[Zzzptm]

^ I agree. The first one was pretty slick, but the other two... yeah... naaaah...

[Typhon]

The Seven-Ups (1973)

The.Seven-Ups is a highly secretive outfit operating in the police force.  During an investigation, one of their own gets mistakenly killed.  Lead by Roy Scheider, they search for who is responsible.  A great film set in New York City, with the only car chase scene I know of that tops the one from Bullitt.  9/10

[Charger]

There's a movie I have never even heard of! Damn! Sounds like something I need to check out!

[Typhon]

There's a movie I have never even heard of! Damn! Sounds like something I need to check out!

You definitely should.  Let me know your thoughts if you do.

A couple of other tidbits about that film: 
The group is called the Seven-Ups because whenever they make a bust, the criminals get 7 years or more.
The driver of the car Roy Scheider is chasing plays the driver Steve McQueen is chasing in Bullitt. 

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Talking of Bullitt... I have the rental DVD and looking to watch it tonight!

[Typhon]

Talking of Bullitt... I have the rental DVD and looking to watch it tonight!

Great, I'll look for your comments tomorrow.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Bullitt

I've now seen Bullitt and I'm pretty sure I've not seen it before, just clips here and there.

First off it is a very good film, I'm not usually a fan of old films, but this one seems to have stood the test of time better than most. In fact the DVD I watched must have been a remaster because the picture was better than some films made much, much later!

Obviously the car chase is pretty damn good, but much of the film is otherwise quite slow, more of police procedural with the odd burst of action. Not complaining as long as it doesn't get dull!

One thing struck me about the film... why didn't the SF police have radios? It's set in the 1960s and radios were quite common in police forces by then? They seemed to be dashing to phones every 5 minutes!

I'll give this a 9/10

[Typhon]

^^^^^^
Glad you enjoyed it.  I'm not 100% sure, but I think only police cruisers had radio communication at that time, and portable radios used in something special like a stakeout. 

Because you liked this one, I know you will like the Seven-Ups.  The version I saw last night was also remastered.

[Charger]

I also think Squad Cars were the first to have radios. I think civilian police cars didn't get radios in the US until in the 70s...or maybe late 60s.

Of this I am not 100% sure.

I tried to find The Seven Ups but it's not available for streaming ANYWHERE! Bugger!

[Typhon]

I tried to find The Seven Ups but it's not available for streaming ANYWHERE! Bugger!

Give me your address in a PM and I'll mail a small flash drive with the Seven-Ups and some other goodies.  My treat.   

[Charger]

Oh that would be awesome but most certainly not required.

[Typhon]

AFRAID(2024)

A family is given a test AI device that is set up in their home.  It is suppose to assist them in all sorts of ways.  It does this and much more.  An interesting film about the potential problems of today's technology.  8.5/10